Get a physical. So many health problems can be prevented or treated if detected early. So request a basic physical from your doctor. And if you don't have one, there are community clinics everywhere that offer low-cost or free services, depending on your income level. Price varies, but a physical starts around $70.

Check a list of the community clinics in the county by region or the County of San Diego's Health and Human Services Agency for public health services.

Eat smarter. The information is everywhere, carrying around extra pounds can destroy your health. Make a decision that you will eat more healthy foods, like fruits and vegetables, and cut down on high-fat, high-sugar foods. Teach your kids, too, to eat smarter. For instance, one slice of pizza from Costco has 680 calories; a medium sized apple has 80. The change does not have to be dramatic, just daily. Maybe you eat just one tortilla, not three, or cut down on the bread you consume. Small changes can have a big impact. Want to explore dieting? Try Weight Watchers, an international company that offers various services to help people lose and maintain healthy weights.

Get more exercise. You don't have to join an expensive gym to do so. Make a decision to walk more and drive less, whenever that's possible. There are free recreation centers and parks everywhere. If you have kids, play with them a while, instead of sitting down and watching TV for hours.

Another option may be the YMCA. It's very family oriented and has well-equipped facilities throughout the region.

Its motto is: "We build strong kids, strong families, strong communities." This organization has various fee levels.

Learn new skills. It's more important than ever to upgrade your skills to help you keep your job or get a better one. There are all kinds of classes that are free or low cost. You can improve your English-language skills, get a GED, improve your computer skills, or a whole new set of skills. Check your local high school or community district for adult classes offered in the evenings or weekends. The San Diego Community College District offers vocational and basic level classes for adults through its Continuing Education Centers.

Go green. Recycle as much stuff as you can, including plastics, glass, paper products, and electronics. Depending on where you live, the garbage service provides containers for these recyclables. We all have to do our part to protect our environment. In San Diego, the city's Environmental Services Department is a good resource for information about recycling.

Remember that you pay for a deposit anytime you purchase certain bottled goods and can get a refund if you return them for recycling. The nonprofit Californians Against Waste has a website with information about recycling centers near supermarkets in San Diego County.

Back-up your cell-phone contacts. Most of us don't have our entire list of contacts backed up anywhere, so losing them would be a big blow. Many carriers have a service that will back up your contacts for a small monthly fee, but they don't publicize it. Another option is to buy a device called Cellstik, a USB drive that costs around $40. It backs up your phone's contacts and other data. The maker, Spark Technology, makes various models that work with the most popular phones.

Become a U.S. citizen. If you're a legal U.S. resident, become a U.S. citizen. This affords you so many important benefits, including the right to vote and seek certain public assistance benefits.

In the legal arena, citizens get more protections than residents. More information in English and Spanish is available at www.uscis.gov. Check your local community college about citizenship classes. In San Diego visit the Continuing Education Centers.

Get a SENTRI card. Waits to get across the border can last more than two hours. The San Ysidro Port of Entry is in the beginning stages of a major expansion that won't be completed until 2016. If you are a frequent crosser, don't wait that long for wait times to go down. You can apply over the Internet; the fee is $122.

Follow your community closely. Know who your elected representatives are. They have staffs, including community liaisons, whose job is to know what's going on in the neighborhoods and to be ready to assist anyone with a problem that requires public attention.

Remember your city council decides public spending at the most local level and by law must hold open meetings where anyone can make a public comment about an issue. If you live in San Diego visit the City Hall website and look under City Council for information about your district representative and other services. In Chula Vista the City Council can be found at www.ci.chula-vista.ca.us.

Donate to a food bank. The economy is recovering slowly and many people are still hurting economically. If you can, help people. Of the 3.1 million residents in San Diego County, more than 483,000 people live at or near the federal poverty level and face the threat of hunger -- 273,000 are children, according to the San Diego Food Bank. The Food Bank is looking for volunteers and accepts donations. The Food Bank also has a virtual food drive service.

Be ready for a disaster. This region is no stranger to earthquakes or wildfires or even a large outbreak of the flu. The San Diego County government is in charge of preparing the region for any major disaster and has website filled with emergency preparedness information in English.

Or call 211, the county's bilingual, non-emergency hotline; during disasters it is the best source of public information for shelter, food and other services.

Learn social media. The world is changing and getting closer because of the Internet and the many ways people stay connected through social media tools such as Facebook and Twitter. It's easy to get started. All you need is a good e-mail address. The beauty of these tools is the information you can share with your loved ones and communities, including the tips found in this story in SanDiegoRed. Remember share and share often. Happy 2011!